Mathematics Anxiety (MA) is an increasing challenge for mathematics educators and is a barrier to mathematical learning. Through reflection on the implementation of a lesson sequence designed to elicit regular use of explicit metacognitive questions (EMQ's), this paper explores the impact of the incorporation of self-regulated learning (SRL)…

Previous research into the teaching and learning of surface area emphasises the use of nets and formulae to calculate the total surface area of three-dimensional objects despite enduring student difficulties. This study investigated an instructional intervention for Year 8 mathematics students (n = 47; 13-14 years old) designed to elicit multiple…

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) is widely acknowledged as essential for educational achievement and fostering continuous learning skills (Taranto & Buchanan, 2020). As a result, there has been a marked escalation in embedding SRL criteria within academic curriculums, including primary education (De Smul et al., 2020; Heirweg et al., 2021).…

Middle school teachers are being urged to involve students in inquiry learning to counter disengagement from learning common in this group. To do this, teachers need to develop students' self-directed learning (SDL) skills so they will be equipped to take responsibility for their learning. This study collected perspectives of four years 6 and 7…

This paper draws on data collected during an outdoor education camp in regional Australia, where the researchers observed the teaching practice of a veteran outdoor educator. We first situate the study in a summary of the outdoor education literature and policy that informed our research. We then present the observed teaching strategies, detailing…

Background: On an annual basis, students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are assessed on their literacy and numeracy skills via the National Assessment Program -- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), with the student performance data used for purposes including national accountability. Purpose: Against this backdrop of large-scale national…

Students who can regulate their own learning are proposed to gain the most out of education, yet research into the impact of self-regulated learning skills on performance shows mixed results. This study supports the link between self-regulated learning and performance, while providing evidence of grade- or age-related differences. Australian…

In this research, we examined how 200 students in seventh grade (around 12 years old) solved simple addition problems. A cluster approach revealed that less than half of the cohort displayed proficiency with simple addition: 35% predominantly used min-counting and were accurate, and 16% frequently made min-counting errors. Students who frequently…

The increase in the use of educational technologies in Australian high schools has sparked this investigation into how Year 9 (13 to 14 years of age) students experience and negotiate a new technology enhanced learning environment in a bilingual classroom setting. The paper is about examining the students' language practices in German and English…

As part of a project exploring various aspects of teachers' choice and use of challenging mathematics tasks, we sought some responses from students on their preferences for the difficulty of tasks on which they might work and also on the ways of working. Despite the common finding that teachers are reluctant to pose challenges to their students…

Objective: Participatory learning strategies are integral to the effectiveness of school-based health education programmes; however, use of such methods is not the norm in teaching. The omission of participatory learning strategies is a common form of programme breakdown leading to erosion of positive learning and behavioural outcomes. Based on a…

The ability to solve linear equations sets students up for success in many areas of mathematics and other disciplines requiring formula manipulations. There are many reasons why solving linear equations is a challenging skill for students to master. One major barrier for students is the inability to interpret the equals sign as anything other than…

Many students arrive at high school with enthusiasm for learning Science but by Year 9 some students have become disengaged with Science as a subject. In an attempt to find out the reasons for this, thirty-five Year 9 students from five South Australian secondary schools participated in focus group discussions. This research unearthed a number of…

Various explanations and solutions have been proposed over the last ten years in relation to the ongoing problem of student lack of engagement with the middle years' curriculum in Australia. Identified contributors to this problem include an irrelevant or trivial curricular focus and ineffectual teaching and learning strategies. In this paper we…

In the first issue of "Australian Educational Computing," in 1986, Cumming and Abbott reported a controlled comparison of top-down and bottom-up teaching strategies for Grade 5 and 6 students' use of a simple logic programming language. They found that both strategies were rated highly by students and teachers, and gave useful learning;…